Roses with Thorns
by thesleepinghollow
Summary: Korinna has friends and a loving mother but doesn't remember much of her past. She's not supposed to. She has a blooming romance with her best friend, Richard, to distract her from it, but when her romance fails, her past catches up to her. She soon discovers that the past holds the key to who she is, but there's other secrets.Ones that hold promise for her and Richard,evil as well
1. Prologue

My heart was being fast, more than fast. Even though this truth wasn't certain, its possibility was enough to put me on the verge of collapse. I pressed on towards my destination. The wind blew hard on my back and pushed me forward, as if it yearned for him and I to be together. I snickered at the thought, he didn't need me, even though that was the opposite of what I've been told. I was no longer needed for him to continue on... I don't ever think I ever was. Garfield has been lying to me. All of them have. Rachel, Donna, Allen, Terra, Roy, Jade, Jericho, Kole, Karen, Vic, Jenny, and Wally have all been lying? That had to be the case. Alfred told me that Richard's health improved. Richard had gotten better without me. Now I was confused. I wanted to go back home. He didn't want me in his life and I was more than happy to leave him be. I was content with the memories we had made and the inside jokes and our silly nicknames will leave an indelible mark on my childhood that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I looked up at the moon; it was crescent tonight. It was almost gone, just like we were. At that point, I couldn't help but reminisce about Richard and I. Back to when we were...full.

_'Starfire, I need your help!'_

_'On my way, Robin!'_

I decided to keep going, despite his feelings. It was my turn to be selfish. He had been abrupt and cold when we parted ways and now I can be abrupt in my visit, but not cold. Never cold. I'm tired of only hearing about him as if he's some glorified hero in a newscast. I needed to see him, especially if the situation was as dire as this.

I stopped walking. I had reached my destination.

Before me was the prestigious Wayne Manor. I walked to the door and used the familiar lion door knocker to make myself known. Alfred answered the door. The warm porch light cast a shadow on his melancholy features. He greeted me with a down trodden smile and proceeded to lead me to the 'infirmary'. Alfred knew the purpose of my visit. He always had that type of insight. The time has come. Alfred opened the door to Richard's room. I entered, initially with my head down and then I stopped and I lifted my head. As I did so, a flood of emotions came over me. Anger, confusion, guilt, and then unbearable grief. I parted my lips slightly, trying to catch little gasps of oxygen and tears sprung out of my terrified eyes. My fantasy world crumbled underneath my feet. It had all been true.

_Richard was dying._

* * *

A/N: Okay, so this story was originally on my Instagram account, so the first six chapters are going to be pretty short. I'm going to make some minor changes to them. The biggest change would probably be more details and characterization. (Just so my IG readers know.) Anyways, what do you guys think so far? I am really enjoying this story so far and can't wait to write more. Feel free to Review! :) ~Sincerely, TheSleepingHollow


	2. Chapter 1

My ruby hair was tossed around by the wind, almost like an explosion of fire. I looked behind me. Richard was smiling and looking off into the distance. The wind tossed around his hair too, except his locks looked like an endless sea of obsidian. My best friend smiled down at me and I was absolutely entranced. My grip on his hand became more firm. We were heading into school and I was leading the way. I gave a breathless laugh. There was no feeling compared to holding Richard's hand. I turned my head back around. We walked through the doors of Gotham City High and made our way to our group of friends. Well, we had many friends, but right now we had encountered Rachel, Garfield, Victor, Karen, and Allen. We all exchanged our greetings and stories. Rachel's stories were always the most entertaining (besides Vic's).

"And when I leaned in closer to him, Gar scampered and fell out of his chair." Rachel concluded. Donna, Karen, and I 'respectively' giggled while the boys burst into a fit of laughter. Victor and Allen were clutching their sides in pain while Richard's white skin was flooded with a bashful red tone. Gar's face was red too, but it was because of the humiliation he had suffered. Everyone had known of his ongoing affection for Rachel. You could see it in his sparkling, pea green eyes. It was also obvious by the way he gaped at her when she wasn't looking or by the way his blonde hair would stand on end just at the sight of her. No matter what abuses Rachel inflicted upon him, (and she had enough to go for eternity, trust me) Garfield's love for her would never grow old. It was the most endearing thing I have ever seen. I smiled at him and rubbed his shoulder. He half smiled at me and did the same to Rachel. Before I knew it, Rachel had mysteriously bewitched Garfield into a trance with her violet eyes. I smiled at the scene and looked at Richard, who was still laughing along with the rest of the crew. He opened his eyes and caught my stare and gave me a curious expression. I looked down sheepishly and he responded by playfully by elbowing me on my arm. I looked up at him, only to look down again and blush. By this time our entire circle of friends had been tuning in to Richard and I's secret world and judging by the looks on their faces, they were amused. I had noticed that Terra joined in our circle, and took her place, snuggly wrapped under Allen's muscular bicep. Not wanting to reflect on the situation any longer, I asked casually,

"Shall we head to class?"

* * *

When in class all I had daydreamed about was Richard. He was untainted. He was my best friend and he understood me in ways that I could never understand myself, and I did the same for him. Holding his hand was the most elating feeling in the world, well, any contact with him made me feel that way. I counted the seconds until I would see him again. It was silly to think that he would ever hold amorous feelings for me, but I could not keep my heart from crossing that romantic boundary with him. I was never one for expressing my emotions with words, only with actions, but Richard brought the words out of me. He does a lot of things to me that I cannot explain. My mind drifted to his appearance and I frowned. He has lost weight again and looked more weak, but today he had looked better. Hopefully this time, his health would progress and not decline. The bell rang. I had gathered my books and headed for the door. It swung open and playful azure eyes came to greet me.

* * *

I never knew how Richard was able to get from class to class so quickly. The only two people that were faster than Richard were Wally and Roy. I told him he should try out for the school track team, but Richard would always wink at me and say, "It wouldn't be much fun if I won every race." I would always laugh, because Richard truly believed that. For someone who tried to keep a low profile, (I say 'tried' because people like Richard were inherently popular) he was very confident in himself. Richard walked me to almost every class. Many thought he did it because he harbored romantic feelings for me, but I knew he did it to ward off bullies such as Katrina aka Kitten aka Whore. (Yes with the capital W.) She had always degraded me because of my tan skin, red, wavy hair, and green eyes. She told me I had looked like a freak and that my accent was obnoxious. (I was adopted from an island called Tamaran when I was six.) When I came to America, I prayed to God every night that I would never lose it, and my voice has not faltered ever since I stepped foot in Gotham. I was proud of my people. Their memory was not to be forgotten or disgraced. Besides, her nasally whine (voice) was almost a shrill. Richard protected me from her and despite his obvious dislike of her, Kitten couldn't help but find herself attracted to him and she wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with him...disgusting. We had walked to the cafeteria and I had gotten my food. We sat down in our regular booth and we greeted everyone. Now Donna, Rachel, Garfield, Terra, Allen, Karen, Vic, Roy, Jade, Jericho, Kole, Jenny, and Wally were there. Everyone was coupled together. (All of the couples had their names next to each other, starting with Terra.) The only people in our group that were single are Donna, Rachel, Garfield, and then Richard and I. It was commonplace that Garfield and Rachel sat next to each other and that Richard and I sat side by side. And it was never strange anyone to find Richard's arm casually resting around my shoulders, the only time it wasn't there was if Richard was competing with Roy or Vic in an arm wrestling match. We all talked about various topics ranging from philosophy to mediocrity. Jericho was actively involved in our discussions and signed frequently (he was born mute) and Kole happily translated for him. Jericho was very intelligent and though he couldn't speak his lime colored eyes portrayed his feelings perfectly. He only needed sign language to tell something in detail. I had admired his will to carry on as if he could speak a thousand times louder than anyone else. Richard took a deep breath and excitement built up inside me, I knew what was coming next. "You smell divine, Korinna." He said, evoking a thick Romanian accent. I giggled and looked up at him. His eyes had been playful. There was something in those eyes. Sure they were azure, but not just that. They were a thin ring of sapphire just around the pupil of his eyes. Then it exploded into a mesmerizing sky blue defined by the natural patterns of his iris only to be closed off by another thin ring of sapphire. I found myself gaping at them, and some time had passed before I came to my senses and peeped a 'Thank You.'

* * *

The rest of the day carried out in its regular routine. I had gone to volleyball practice straight after school.

"You're jumps are getting higher and higher, Anders!" I gave the coach a toothy smile. She had always complimented me on my agility, speed, and hand-eye coordination, but she was absolutely enchanted by my jumps. Sometimes she joked and asked if I had the power to fly...

After practice, I drove home, studied, and did homework. After a shower and late dinner, I sat down in my plush, rolling chair. My eyes were half lidded and felt as if all of the life had been drained out of them. Sleep was inevitable at this point, so I accepted my fate and drifted off. "Kori!" My eyes shot open. I was at my desk when I heard my name and my attention was directed at the window. Jenny was curled up in my window frame. The moonlight made the mischief in her eyes glow. I just stared at her. My blank stare made my sleepiness evident to her.

"C'mon, Sleeping Beauty! Put on some swim clothes!" I yawned.

"Why?" I said stretching and walking towards her.

"Because we're going to the beach!" Terra exclaimed. I looked out the window. I saw Karen, Terra, Jade, and even Rachel. They were in Rachel's black convertible. I quickly slipped on an aqua blue bikini and a white knitted crop top for a cover up. Jenny was already in the car. I grabbed my cell phone and closed my window. Then I carefully climbed down the oak tree next to my room. Once I was near the car, I glanced quickly at my house and got into the car. Rachel then sped away into the night.

"So who wanted to go to the beach at this hour?" I asked.

Karen giggled. "It was Gar's." Jade smiled devilishly.

"Ya, that's the only reason why Rachel volunteered to drive." We all burst into a fit of laughter. Rachel blushed indignantly and remained silent.

"So the boys were in on this too?" I inquired.

"Well duh, who else would think of something like this?" Jenny chirped in.

"Haha ya. Full moon and some sexy ladies in swimsuits? I think the guys would dig it." Terra said. I giggled, she had a point.

"Too bad Kole, Jericho, and Donna didn't come." Karen said, disappointed.

"Well, this isn't their kind of thing." Rachel said. We all mumbled a response, agreeing with her.

* * *

Roy wolf whistled, "Looking good, ladies!" His red hair seemed to go everywhere, along with his grin. Jade walked up to him, with her arms wide open, expecting a hug. She received a little more when Roy actually picked her up and spun her around. Victor pulled Karen into a passionate kiss and it seemed like his strong, dark arms would hold her for eternity. Terra jumped on Allen's back and gave him a peck on the cheek, and, shockingly, Garfield and Rachel shared a side hug.

"Someone take a picture!" said an excited Victor, beholding the scene.

"He's finally getting somewhere." Wally commented. We all began to snicker, which was combated with Rachel's famous rolling of the eyes and all Gar could do was blush. I looked around in our group. No one had mentioned Richard not meeting up with us.

"Hey, Kori." I turned around and there was he was, smiling at me. The moon light made his skin look like ivory and his hair like polished obsidian and his eyes were...like an ocean. Tossing and turning (almost like liquid), which were the exact same movements my heart was making at the moment. Richard just stood there, observing me. I looked down and blushed. He then pulled me in for a hug and I smiled into his chest.

"Awww, how sweet!" Jenny and Karen gushed. Terra and Wally grinned, while Vic and Rachel smirked.

"Oh, we're gonna have to keep an eye on those two." Allen observed.

"Oh, let them have their fun." Jenny defended.

"Or let her have his baby." Garfield replied smugly. Everyone snickered again, including Rachel and Richard rolled his eyes

After a toasty bonfire, everyone had split off into two's. All of the couples had went their own way, including the would-be couple. (Rachel and Gar) Richard insisted I go with him to the caves. There were plenty of smooth rocks to lounge on by them. We found a huge one. It looked like a plateau with a slight slant. Richard climbed on first and then helped me up. I found it strange that I was sleepy on the drive here, but now, I found it almost impossible to sit down. Nevertheless, I acted as calmly as possible. Richard lounged with me on the same rock and for a moment, he sat there, staring at me.

"Greetings, Richard."

"Hi, Korinna." I smiled at him and he returned it. Our conversation spurred on as it usually would. Richard was being funny and spectacular, and there was a certain easiness about him tonight, something that was calming and soothing, but despite that, I couldn't remain calm. Richard had sensed that. He stopped and looked at me. Only this time, he was puzzled and his brow creased with worry.

"What's wrong, Star?" My heart jumped at the sound of his nickname for me.

"Nothing, Rob." I joked, using his nickname. (His full nickname was Robin) He gave me a half smile, but he was still worried.

"Are you sure?"

"I am." I replied and gave him a smile. He slowly turned himself away from me, blank faced. I frowned and reached out for him, but before I could actually touch Richard, a spell of sleepiness fell over me. All of my sense had left me. I couldn't understand it. I was energetic two seconds ago. Grabbing my head, I closed my eyes and groaned.

"Kori?" Richard asked alarmed. I looked at him wearily.

"Richard, I am sleepy." Sleepy was actually an understatement. My world had meshed into one big swirl and...shadows? I couldn't make sense of anything. Even the light of the full moon was fading. I could slowly feel myself slouching, as if I were sinking into the rock, like I was becoming formless.

"Kori, Kori, Korinna, Star…" Richard said panicky.

The last thing I heard was my name sounded over and over again, first in hearing range and then down to nothing at all.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the confusion! That first part was supposed to be in the story but I totally forgot about it. Anyways you know what to do...Read and Review! Love you all! 3 ~thesleepinghollow


	3. Chapter 2

My eyes ripped open. The moon was going down, so I knew it was the early morning. I had a throbbing headache and the pressure seemed to increase every minute. I desperately rubbed my temples, trying to find relief. It took me a while to realize that I was in my bed, but I had no idea how I got there. I remembered everything up until the sleepiness spell and then my mind drew a blank. It honestly scared me. I walked to the bathroom and washed my wash and walked back into my room. I sat on my bed and looked for my phone which was strangely found on my charger. I sighed. Anything could have happened. I opened my phone and scrolled through my contacts, looking for someone to call. I dialed.

"What?" Answered an irritated, annoyed, and beyond pissed off Rachel.

"Rachel..." I said pleadingly. She gasped.

"Oh, Kori, Hi." I got straight to the point.

"Rachel, what happened last night?"

"I don't know, I didn't take you home."

"What?!"

"Ya... You and Richard disappeared after the bonfire."

"Oh..."

"I assume that you were engaging in 'the late night smooching' that you frequently accuse Gar and I of?" She said smugly. I laughed nervously.

"I wish..." I mumbled, not really to anyone, but mostly to myself.

"Was that a confession?" I could feel her smirk through the phone, almost as well as she could see my blushing in the awkward silence.

"You actually got me interested. Tell me."

"Tell you what friend Rachel?" I always reverted back to speaking a form of English that resembled my native tongue when I was extremely nervous.

"About your feelings for, Richard." She replied. There was no reason to hide it any longer. Rachel was my sister and even though we looked at life through different lenses, we completed each other. It went beyond the friendship classification of me being the "typical frou-frou princess" that befriends the girl who is the "atypical, anti-society outcast." Our personality traits complimented each other's and we are able to give the other perspective that we wouldn't be able to see on our own. We were patient with other and that allowed for an exponential amount of love to fill the gap between us...as well as the occasional girl talk. I revealed to her every crevice of my heart. There was no corner cut or rock unturned and there was no spot that was hidden. I even told her about how my moods were affected by him. It was funny how Rachel and I always knew (with great certainty) what faces we made while we were talking. Right now, she had a small smile.

"I'm guessing that Richard doesn't know about this." I sighed.

"No, but do you think it's weird how my mood changes around him?"

"Of course not. The love of your life is always going to affect your mood." Rachel said, factually.

"Does your mood change when you're around Gar?" I inquired, half-jokingly and half seriously. Rachel was always in control of her emotions so it was hard to get a read on how she was feeling.

"Sometimes..." She answered honestly. That was all I needed to hear. Rachel never liked to elaborate on her feelings. She said it gave her anxiety.

"Did you and him engage in the late night smooching?" Rachel laughed.

"Don't be stupid, Kor...of course we did." I dropped the phone.

* * *

When my headache subsided and I recovered from the news of Rachel and Gar's nightly escapades, I had gotten ready for school. I ate breakfast and headed out the door. After I locked the door, I turned around to see a black BMW in my drive way. A figure got out of the car.

"Richard?" I asked, more happy than surprised.

"Hey Korinna." he greeted, "I just wanted to see if you were okay." I smiled at him.

"I'm suppose I am well," I said, touched by his gesture, "but what happened last night?" Richard looked at me uneasily.

"We were talking and then you passed out. You fell into the water and it was high-tide." I gasped. He continued,

"I jumped in after you and then I brought you to shore. I performed CPR on you. After you coughed up water, you were slipping in and out of consciousness. I had Alfred take a look at you, and he said you were fine and suggested I take you home." My eyes opened wide. The story shocking, but Richard and I made lip contact...and I wasn't even awake to enjoy it.

"How did you get in?"

"Through your window." He answered nonchalantly. I looked at him disbelievingly.

"Don't be fooled, Kory," he said and then half smiled, "I am stronger than I look." I burst out in laughter.

"What?" He asked, smiling.

"Haha, really, that's your explanation?" Richard had some muscle mass on him, but it did not look like he had enough strength to climb up a tree with me and escort me through a window. He smirked.

"What, you don't believe me?" I stopped laughing.

"I don't know, maybe." I said, tapping my chin. His blue eyes sparked with mischief.

"Well, we'll just have to make you a believer." I was about to respond with a "let's go to school, Richard", when he swung me over his shoulder. The rush of wind sent my hair flying everywhere. He ran with me to his car threw me in the passenger seat. Sliding across the hood, he jumped into the driver's side, closed the door, and sped off.

"I was gonna drive myself to school today." I said.

"I know, but I wanted to take you today." Mt face heated up, not in anger, but in shock and excitement.

"Why?"

"So we could hang out later."

"Haha. You could have asked."

"I know, but I also knew you would have said yes." I raised my hands in surrender and he chuckled.

When we got to school, Richard opened the passenger door for me. When I got out of his car, he wasted no time putting his arm around me. I responded by putting my arm around his waist. Richard had some height on me. He was 6'2 and I was about 5'8. I looked up at him. His health was improving. He was getting stronger. The sun shone a happy light on us, and that unmistakable feeling of love enveloped me, and, possibly, the both of us.

* * *

Volleyball practice was canceled. The group decided to go out for ice cream. Today, Richard was more flirtatious than usual. A lot more grabbing and touching which resulted in more blushing for me. We were walking up to his car, when Kitten stopped us.

"Hey, Richard." She smiled. I was annoyed. She didn't even acknowledge me! Richard grabbed my hand and side stepped her.

"Richard, wait, where are you going?"

"I have no time for your games, Katrina." We left her there, speechless. I looked up at Richard. Health's glow had shone radiantly on his face. He looked down at me.

"What?" he asked curiously.

"Your health is getting better." I commented. He smiled. Richard has been suffering from an unknown disease. Doctors agree that it has something to do with his blood. Some days Richard does not eat or drink, while on other days, his appetite seems insatiable, and on those days he only ate steaks that were extremely rare. We got in the car and drove to the ice cream parlor. There the gang was waiting for us. Kole and Jericho were sharing an ice cream float.

"Kole! Jericho! I have not seen you all day!" They both smiled at me.

"Hello, Korinna." Jericho signed.

"Hey Kori!" greeted Kole.

"Hey Kor," Richard interrupted, "we should get in line. Its getting long." I smiled at him.

"I don't want anything."

"No, you have to."

"Richard, I really don-" He grabbed my hand and took me in line.

"Why do you insist?"

"C'mon. I didn't take you here to hang out and you NOT get anything, besides I'm paying for you." I decided not to protest. Richard was as stubborn as they come. We got ice cream and we sat down. I looked over at Rachel and Gar. She was casually leaning into his shoulder and I smiled, mostly to myself.

"Homecoming is coming up!" Jenny announced. I was excited this year. I hadn't been to a homecoming in years past.

"Ya I know, and I've got the hottest date in the whole school!" Wally exclaimed hugging Jenny and kissing her on the forehead.

"Save it for somewhere else." Donna said, annoyed. Wally and Jenny grimaced at her.

"It should be really fun." Kole said, with her tranquil, soft voice.

"I agree! What's this year's theme, Jenny?" I inquired.

"Into the jungle." She said. Allen snickered.

"That's stupid." Roy commented.

"Well it was the only theme the committee could decide on." Jade said.

"I think it's a great idea." Gar said crossing his arms. He always had a special connection with animals. He's also a devout vegan.

"Of course you would, Gar. Aren't you from the jungle?" Victor joked. Allen, Terra, and Richard laughed, but Karen hit his shoulder and Rachel rolled her eyes. Someone had opened the door and I turned around to see who it was. A tall, raven haired girl walked through the door. She had blue eyes and beautiful white skin. Her name was Zatanna and she was absolutely beautiful. She ordered her ice cream and walked over to us, her wavy, raven hair blowing in the wind she created.

"Hey guys." She smiled. We smiled and greeted her back. Zatanna was a good friend of Richard's and there was a rumor that they shared an interest in each other, because they had a lot of things in common. She was a nice girl, very friendly and loves to read. Also she was headstrong and confident. Zatanna also possessed a sort of radiance that would almost enchant you. She turned toward Richard.

"Richard, Homecoming is coming up and I was wondering if maybe thou wanted to go with me?" She said cooly. It was like she was expecting a yes. My breath hitched in my throat and Rachel raised an eyebrow. Richard smiled.

"I'm sorry, Zatanna, but I wanted to go with someone else." He said, regretfully. Not that he regretted for making a commitment to ask someone else, but regret for having to put Zatanna in this situation. Red crept across her cheeks and disappointment in her eyes.

"Who?" She asked. Now I was curious. Who could he want to talk to? It wasn't Kitten. Maybe Barbara? I've seen her flirting with him... Everyone else waited with anticipation. All eyes were on Richard.

"Korinna."

A wildfire of blush spread across my face. Richard wanted to take me to a dance. My first dance. I looked at him and then at Zatanna. Her dark ocean blue eyes were flooded with shock and Richard's face had a sympathetic expression. Everyone else, except me had a small smile on their faces. Our attention was still directed at Richard and Zatanna. He was still looking at her apologetically.

"Oh..ok..um..." Zatanna mumbled. She was trying to look for words to say.

"I'm sorry Z." She half-smiled at him.

"It's ok, I'll, see you in Pre-Cal." She turned around and rushed out the door.

"Poor girl." Kole sighed. Karen and Jade nodded in agreement. Now all eyes were directed towards me.

"So..." Terra said, her voice becoming more high-pitched.

"So what?"

"What do ya think about the situation, little lady?" Victor inquired. Excitement raged in his brown eyes. Then a sensation washed over me. A warm feeling that renders your will useless and makes your lips turn upward, eventually reaching your eyes and then the next thing you know, you look like you just won the lottery.

"I think it is..." I searched for the word. I wanted it to be simplistic, yet convey every emotion I was feeling at the moment. Then it hit me. I looked at everyone.

"It is _glorious_."

Richard said that he would ask me 'properly'. The vagueness in the answer was enough to both excite and terrify me, especially since the boys were helping him. The girls were almost squealing, even Rachel, who was pleasantly surprised at the whole ordeal. Donna and Jinx said that the girls had to go shopping immediately for my dress and already started planning what to do with my hair and makeup. Donna said that a purple smoky eye would accentuate my green eyes. I was very excited. It was my first homecoming and I was going with Richard, the love of my life. I was so surprised with everyone's reaction, Victor even wanted to have a celebratory cook out, but that conversation spiraled into a debate about whether to serve all meat (Vic and Roy's prerogative) or Vegan dishes (Gar and Allen's prerogative). After a heated discussion, we decided to abandon the cookout idea.

I called my mom and told her that I was with Richard and she told me to get home safely. She knew of my feelings for Richard, but she didn't want me going too fast with him. I was only 16 after all and he was 17. My mom thought Richard was very mature for his age, and she was afraid that I wouldn't be emotionally ready to be with someone like him. She was also afraid of the possible sex, and to be honest, I was afraid of that too. He was extremely attractive and I've never been in a relationship. My mom was experiencing typical fears that every parent had, and that was fine, it wasn't like getting in a relationship with Richard would happen anytime soon, if ever. It was night fall by the time Richard and I got in his car to take my home. Today was interesting. We were silent in the car. I was thinking about the reason why Richard wanted to go with me. I know I'm his best friend, but there were so many options. Zatanna, Donna, Babs...they were all good friends of his. I just wanted to know why he chose me.

"Why are you so quiet?" He asked.

"Nothing." I lied. I felt like I was being silly. He frowned.

"What is bothering you?"

"Richard, it is nothing." It really wasn't. I don't even know why it was affecting me so much.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." I could tell he was dissatisfied with my answer. He parked in my driveway. I stepped out of his car. I was surprised when I looked up and saw him standing in front of me. There he goes being fast again...

"Did you enjoy today?" He asked. I smiled.

"Very much so."

"Then why were you so quiet in the car?" I bit my lip and averted my eyes from his gaze.

"Do you not want to go to the dance with me?" he asked. It sounded like he was almost reluctant to ask that question. I looked up at him, eyes wide. He looked upset and disappointed.

"No, it's not that at all!"

"Then what's bothering you?" He asked. This time I had to give him an answer. I looked away from him. I felt like a bundle of nerves.

"I wanted to know why you wanted to go the dance with me..." I said sheepishly. I blushed for the millionth time that day. I was still looking away from him when I heard his laughter.

"Really, Kori? That was it?" He said between breaths.

"Yes..." I said, annoyed. His laughter died down.

"Oh, Kori." He pulled me in for a hug.

"Why were you laughing at me?" I mumbled into his chest.

"I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing at myself. I was so worried..."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Are you going to answer my question?" He smiled.

"I'll tell you when I ask you to Homecoming." I couldn't be upset with him. I had had enough excitement for one day, and the icing on the cake was the embrace we were sharing right now. I don't know how long we stayed hugging, but it was long enough to make me feel as if I were dreaming.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Once again, I combined the chapters. I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am! :) ~TheSleepingHollow


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